Rotary snap-switch.



Patented Jan. 24, 1911.

a o 9 l H4 am G U M m m L O wn 7m YN Bm G m P P A ATTORNEYS UNITED STATES PATENT orrron.

GEORGE B. THOMAS; or snrnenronr, oonnnorrcur, ASSIGNOR TO THE Pnnxms nnncrmc swrrcn MFG. com any, or BRIDGEPORT, connscrronr, A conronarron OF CONNECTICUT.

ROTARY SNAP-SWITCH.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEononB. THOMAS,

I a citizen of the'United States of America,

residing in the city of Bridgeport, in the county of Fairfield, in the State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Rotary Snap-Switches,

of which the following is a specification.

.My invention relates to that class of electrio switches of the rotary snap type, in

which there is an operating spindle and a spring to .be tensioned thereby, a flat fixed ratchet or equivalent stop plate on the insulating base, a radially movable latch to engage the stops and operated by the turning of the spindle to disengage the latch from the stops.

The object of my invention is to simplify and improve the construction and operation of the switch and particularly of the latching means.-

In the accompanying drawing Figure 1 is a vertical section of a rotary snap-switch embodying my invention; Fi 2 is a sec tional plan on the line 2--2, ig. 1; Fig. 3 is a similar view, but showing the parts, in changed positions; Figs. 4 and 5 are corresponding sectional plan views, taken on the line 4-4, Fig. 1; Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a detail.

In F i l I have shown the spindle A as mounte to turn in a suitable hearing I) secured in the insulating base B, and on the spindle is any suitable operating handle a and any suitable switch plate S having insulated clips or blades ada ted to make and break contact with the b ades or cli s of binding posts D on the base; There is the usual play rotarily between the spindle and the late with an intermediate spring E coiled about the spindle connected at its upper end to a crown piece e on the spindle,

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented J an. 24: 1911,

Application filed August 14, 1908. Serial No. 448,547..

in the arm H over a correspondingly squared portion of the s indie.

The switch p ate S is provided with a radial guide arm 10 (Figs. 2 and 3) against which bears an upwardly projecting finger 11 on the end of the latch bar' G.

When the spindle A is turned clockwise, as usual, the spring E will tend to carry the switch plate S (Fig. 2) with it, but the latch bar with its lower finger bearing against the radial edge of a tooth of the stop plate F and'with its upper finger hearing against the radial arm 10 of the switch plate will retain the latter, and the spring E will be tensioned. But the turning of the spindle A meantime will turn its crank arm H from the position Fig. 4 to the position Fig. 5 and .thereby cause the latch bar to slide along the radial faceof the .stop tooth and finally escape beyond it, whereupon the tensioned spring E will cause the switch plate to fly forward, but in doing so its arm 10 will throw the latch bar forward also and thereby draw its outer end radially inward and cause its finger 8 to engage the next succeeding tooth of the stop plate F.

I claim as my invention 1. A rotary snap switch, having a base and stops thereon with an operating spindle carrying a crank arm, a latch har'pivoted to said crank arm, and adapted to engage the stops, a switch plate with which the latch bar is in sliding engagement anda tensionirig spring between the spindle and switch p ate.

2. A rotary snap switch, having a base and ratchet stops thereon with an operating spindle carrying a crank arm, a latch bar pivoted to said crank arm, a switch and a tcnsioning spring between the spindle and switch plate, the latch bar having an upwardly projecting finger in sliding contact with the switch plate and a downwardly late stops thereon with operating spindle carry- In testimony whereof I have signed my ing a crank arm, a latch bar pivoted to said name to this specification, in the presence of crank arm and provided with one lug to entwo subscribing witnesses.

gage the stops, and a second lug in sliding 4 GEORGE B. THOMAS, engagement with the switch plate, together Witnesses:

with a tensioning spring between the spindle H. W. GOLDSBOROUGH,

and switch plate. F. E. SEELEY. 

